What started as blowing dust Monday night turned into the most severe monsoon storm to hit the Valley so far this summer.

Bursts of rain and damaging winds struck the Phoenix area around 6 p.m. Monday night, resulting in uprooted trees and felled power lines that left thousands of residents in the dark.

Fewer than 5,000 utility customers still remained without power early Tuesday afternoon. At the height of last night’s storm, about 100,000 customers were without power, reports from the Arizona Public Service Electric Co. and the Salt River Project show.

Winds speeds exceeded 70 mph in Glendale and Deer Valley, the National Weather Service said. Meanwhile, winds at Luke Air Force Base reached 69 miles per hour, and Scottsdale and east Mesa had winds over 50 mph.

More than 4,000 lightning strikes and 35,000 flashes sparked within the clouds at the storm's peak, the National Weather Service said.

National Weather Service meteorologist Mark O'Malley said that amount of lightning isn't a record breaker, but it is more than what is seen during a typical monsoon storm.

Measurable rain fell over most of the Valley, data from the Maricopa Flood Control District show; outlying areas received the most precipitation. Nearly an inch of rain fell in Fountain Hills and north Scottsdale; about a quarter inch of rain fell in downtown Phoenix.

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Paul Palmer surveys a large tree on July 31, 2018, that came down on Palmer's house near Bethany Home Road and 15th Avenue in Phoenix. Heavy winds and rain brought the tree down the night. Palmer estimates the tree is at least 50 years old. David Wallace/The Republic

Paul Palmer surveys a large tree on July 31, 2018, that came down on Palmer's house near Bethany Home Road and 15th Avenue in Phoenix. Heavy winds and rain brought the tree down the night. Palmer estimates the tree is at least 50 years old. David Wallace/The Republic

Paul Palmer and next-door neighbor Ashley Kelley on July 31, 2018, survey a large tree that came down on Palmer's house near Bethany Home Road and 15th Avenue in Phoenix. Heavy winds and rain brought the tree down the night. Palmer estimates the tree is at least 50 years old. David Wallace/The Republic

Josh Boyd surveys a large tree that came down just a few feet from his apartment, crushing his backyard wall and two of his family's vehicles near 31st and Northern avenues in Phoenix on July 31, 2018. Heavy winds and rain brought multiple trees down in the apartment complex the night before. David Wallace/The Republic

Taylor Weir looks at a large tree on July 31, 2018, that came down just a few feet from her apartment near 31st and Northern avenues in Phoenix. Heavy winds and rain brought multiple trees down in the apartment complex the night before. David Wallace/The Republic

Josh Boyd surveys a large tree that came down just a few feet from his apartment, crushing his backyard wall and two of his family's vehicles near 31st and Northern avenues in Phoenix on July 31, 2018. Heavy winds and rain brought multiple trees down in the apartment complex the night before. David Wallace/The Republic

Josh Boyd surveys a large tree that came down just a few feet from his apartment, crushing his backyard wall and two of his family's vehicles near 31st and Northern avenues in Phoenix on July 31, 2018. Heavy winds and rain brought multiple trees down in the apartment complex the night before. David Wallace/The Republic

Josh Boyd surveys a large tree that came down just a few feet from his apartment, crushing his backyard wall and two of his family's vehicles near 31st and Northern avenues in Phoenix on July 31, 2018. Heavy winds and rain brought multiple trees down in the apartment complex the night before. David Wallace/The Republic

Senior housing facility loses power

Crews from the Phoenix Fire Department on Tuesday continued to assist residents of a senior housing facility after it lost power Monday night.

The Washington Manor, near 11th and Monroe streets in downtown Phoenix, typically houses about 120 residents.

Captain Jake Van Hook of the Phoenix Fire Department said fire crews had taken three residents to hospitals: a 73-year-old woman with heat-related issues, a 74-year-old man with abdominal pain and a 64-year-old woman with difficulty breathing.

Firefighters began helping to relocate residents at about 11 a.m. Tuesday, Van Hook said. Crews carried people, some in wheelchairs, down flights of stairs to help get them to the ground floor.

Staff members at the facility have coordinated with the McDowell Place Senior Service Center near McDowell Road and State Route 51 to temporarily move residents there so they have access to food and air conditioning, Van Hook said.

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As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, Van Hook said 30 people were at the McDowell facility, 25 people were still at the Washington facility waiting to be transported, and 20 people were refusing to leave their homes.

Van Hook said fire officials are continuing to monitor those refusing to leave. Some other residents have also left on their own or have been picked up by family or friends, Van Hook said.

Phoenix Fire officials set up two portable generators and portable air conditioners to cool down those who are awaiting transportation to the McDowell senior center, Van Hook said. The equipment is part of the Phoenix Fire Department Community Emergency Response Team cache and CERT team members are on the scene.

Phoenix Fire Department crews assist residents of a senior housing facility that lost power during a monsoon storm July 30, 2018, and was still without electricity 18 hours later.(Photo: Phoenix Fire Department)

Storm chances for the days ahead

O'Malley said it's unlikely that another destructive storm will hit the Valley later this week.

There is less than a 10 percent chance of rain Tuesday in metropolitan Phoenix, with any potential storms staying north and east, O'Malley said.

The storm chances increase to 20 percent on Wednesday and Thursday.

The forecast high temperature is 108 degrees this week, with lows forecast to reach 81 degrees, the National Weather Service said. For an extended forecast, visit weather.azcentral.com.

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Paul Palmer surveys a large tree on July 31, 2018, that came down on Palmer's house near Bethany Home Road and 15th Avenue in Phoenix. Heavy winds and rain brought the tree down the night. Palmer estimates the tree is at least 50 years old. David Wallace/The Republic

Felipe Piña and his crew cutting down fallen trees from the storm July 30, 2018, near North 32 Way and Longhorn Drive. Thousands of Valley residents remained without power Tuesday morning after a significant monsoon storm hit the metro Phoenix area Monday night. Nick Oza/The Republic

Felipe Piña and his crew cutting down fallen trees from the storm near North 32 Way and Longhorn Drive. Thousands of Valley residents remained without power Tuesday morning after a significant monsoon storm hit the metro Phoenix area Monday night. Nick Oza/The Republic

Isidro Valencia, of Tempe, walks down Southern Avenue on July 9, 2018, during a rain storm in Tempe, Arizona. "Honestly the rain around this time of year doesn't surprise me," Valencia said. "This will just continue to pick up through August and September." Brian Munoz / The Republic

Jay Jones of Phoenix tries to stay dry under heavy rains as winds force back his umbrella while walking along Thomas Road near 36th Street in Phoenix during the monsoon storm on July 9, 2018. David Wallace/The Republic